This field studies international political, economical and power relations from a historical perspective.

International History is rooted in Diplomatic History and has undergone various shifts in recent decades resulting in a new dynamic academic field integrating perspectives, theories and methods from related and other disciplines including political science and IR, economy, gender studies, psychology or sociology. Lately it has grown wider through the rise of the closely related field of global history.

Research within the field might focus on, for example, states and non-state actors, inter-governmental organizations, international law, transnational corporations, lobbysist or activists. These are studied from international, transnational and global perspectives.